Day After Tomorrow
by Special Agent Chibi
Summary: /HIATUS\ What if Kratos found Lloyd after that fateful night Anna was killed? How would Tales of Symphonia be different? And will Kratos go back to Cruxis when they threaten the life of his son? Oyako only LloydColette, ZeloSheena later on.
1. Prologue

_**Day After Tomorrow**  
Chibi-Sorrow_

**Prologue **

* * *

The rain poured relentlessly from the sky as the fallen form of a women struggled to bring herself to her feet. Her simple dress hung in tatters from her battered form, blood leaking from various wounds along her body. She struggled to her knees, her arms shaking as they held her up. She had to find her baby. He had fallen with her when she had been stabbed; she knew he was around here somewhere. 

"Lloyd..." She whispered, sobbing under her breath gently. Her body felt as if it were being weighed down thrice the amount of it's own mass. Slipping on the mud beneath her, she fell to the ground again, landing painfully on her side. A whine made itself up from her throat as she closed her eyes, accepting her fate. "I'm so sorry, baby..."

"Anna!"

Hearing her name being called, Anna opened her eyes once more, wearily glancing around in confusion. She couldn't quite comprehend what was going on - blood loss from her stomach wound making her disoriented.

"Anna! Oh, god..." Hands took a hold of her bare shoulders, turning her to the source of the one that had been calling her name. Blinking eyes of russet brown, the women - now known as Anna - stared up into the worried face of her husband. Allowing a small, tight lipped smile to cross her face, she reached up with a shaky hand to stroke his cheek lovingly.

"Kratos... I'm sorry..." She cried, feeling tears prick the corners of her eyes at the thought that she was going to be leaving him, and their son, alone in the world. She closed her eyes in defeat, shaking her head as if reprimanding herself."If only I had... been stronger..."

"No, Anna. No." He scolded her lightly, eyes of dark crimson eying her pleadingly, begging her not to go. "It... it wasn't you. It wasn't you at all. If only I had paid more attention..."

To Anna, he sounded just as broken as her body felt and it tore her heart in two. She let her cool fingers still graze his cheek gently, feeling the warmth and wetness that could only come from him. At first she believed the wetness to only be water. It wasn't until she heard his breath hitch that she knew, she knew for sure, that he was crying. Opening her eyes again, she could only let out a sob as she saw her once strong, indefinitely calm angel cry so openly.

She knew her time was growing short - she could feel that each breath was beginning to get harder and harder to take in. Shaking her head once more, feeling damp strands of chestnut bangs falling into her eyes, she beckoned her love closer with the slight pull of his belted top. "Please, dearest... Find Lloyd. Raise him away from Cruxis - d-don't let them...find him. I beg of you."

"Anna..." Kratos shook his head, spiked auburn hair dripping with rain onto the bloodstained ground. Even he couldn't deny that she was dying from the fatal injury that sucked her life dry. There wasn't a point to trying to get around it - to try and stop it. She was beyond healing spells. She was beyond his help. "I swear it. I... I will protect our son with my life..."

Smiling gently, she sobbed once more as she felt Kratos pull her up into his arms, holding her tightly in his strong grasp. She didn't want to go - no wife or mother wanted to leave her loved once behind - but she had no choice. Wrapping her arms around him for the last time, she kissed him chastely on the lips, drawing what she could from that simple pleasure before she pulled away, leaning into his chest.

"Thank you, my love. You've... made these last years of my life... all I ever wanted..." She whispered as she closed her eyes for the last time. This was it... "I love you... Never forget it..."

And with a final sigh, Anna quietly died in the arms of the one she loved the most.

* * *

Kratos placed Anna's body on the ground beneath an area of dense trees, promising to be back to take care of her body as soon as their son was cared for. Ignoring the want to stay there and rot with his deceased lover, he went in search of his son - the only family he had left - in hopes that he would still be alive. 

Focusing for a moment, Kratos's wings shot from his back in a burst of color and light, flapping easily even with the pouring rain. Taking one more glance back to his fallen wife, he flew into the dark sky in search of his lost child. He could only pray to Martel that he'd be able to find the toddler and soon. He winced as he felt the wind beat on the cuts he had pertained from the previous fight. _I completely forgot about those,_ he thought to himself with a small shake of his head.

Kratos had searched long and hard with no result. There was no sign of his son or Noishe, the dog-like protozoan that accompanied him and his family as their pet. He had almost given up hope until he noticed a small hut hidden among another outgrowth of dense trees. Silently, he made his decent towards the place in hopes that someone lived there. Maybe they could grant him with a bit of help.

He landed on the ground a few feet from the house with a bit of a stumble, almost falling to his knees. It seemed that even using the small bit of mana to fly was taking it's toll on his body. He had used up quite a bit in the battle with Kvar. The fight hadn't been long - Kvar running before Kratos could annihilate him - but it had still been strenuous. Plus, the emotional stress of it all... Everything was just coming down so hard on him. First his wife, now possible his son? He wasn't sure of just how much more he could take.

Straightening up, he withdrew his wings before he began dragging his sore and tired body to the door with a sort of haste only a father in search of his child could have. He stared at the door for a moment, unsure of how to make the approach on a random stranger before deciding that knocking first would be the best action. He waited for a moment, hearing some noises from within. It only took only another moment of waiting before the door opened, revealing to Kratos none other than a dwarf. He tried to keep on a passive face, but blinked in surprise quite a few times.

"Ya? What do ye want?" The dwarf questioned him gruffly, looking pointedly at the taller man. The dwarf didn't seem to keen on having visitors and Kratos was no exception to this.

"I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but I'm in dire need of help." Kratos spoke calmly, his voice all but a whisper.

The dwarf stared at the moment before sighing, shaking his head as he stepped aside to let Kratos in. "Dwarven Vow Number Two: Never abandon someone in need. Me name is Dirk. Now, what is it ye need, lad?"

"I am Kratos. Kratos Aurion. I... I'm searching for my son and I am unfamiliar with this area. Plus, I'm afraid I'm low on energy. I fear that I won't be able to find him before..." Kratos stopped on that last word, biting his bottom lip as he could feel a lump in his throat. He didn't even want to imagine that the tot was gone, just as his wife.

Dirk gave him a strange look for a moment before replying: "Yer boy? How did ye lose yer child?"

"There was a fight... He had fallen off the cliff side, along with his mother and our dog, Noishe. His mother..." Kratos trailed off, trying to shake off the feeling of utter loss that was attacking his system. "My wife perished. I left her hidden in another part of the forest so I could search for our son..."

"Aye..." Dirk mumbled, shaking his head sadly. "Me apologizes, lad. What be the boy's name? Age, too."

"His name is Lloyd. He's just a toddler - barely the age of three."

Dirk nodded at this before waving his hand to the Kratos, indicating that he should follow him. "Come wit' me." He stated simply before heading up a set of stairs in the back of the one room floor. Kratos looked at him curiously for a moment before doing as requested. He followed Dirk up the stairs silently until he took him into a small room. He wasn't sure to what this was leading to - after all, this was just taking more and more time away that he could be using to find his son -

"Arf!"

"Noishe!" Kratos cried out in surprise as the white and green protozoan tackled his owner, licking his face brutally. Kratos let out a strangled cry as he tried to push the massive dog off of him. It's not that he wasn't happy to see him, it's just that he had something else to focus on. "Noishe, down!"

"Arf?" Noishe tilted his head to the side before pulling himself off of Kratos, allowing the angel to attempt to stand up again. He whined lightly as he watched Kratos cringe as he put his hand to his side, pulling it back only to find blood on the palm.

"I'm fine, Noishe. I'm more concerned on finding Ll-"

"Daddy?"

Kratos's head shot up so fast that, later on, he believed he had a mild case of whiplash. Sitting on a single bed in the room, one that Kratos had failed to notice on entrance, was none other than Lloyd. The boy looked no worse for that wear than his father. Other than a few oddly placed scratches on his face and a bruise above his left eye, he looked relatively fine if not exhausted. Kratos shot up from the ground, running across the wooden floor, almost tripping over his feet in the process. To him, it seemed like he couldn't make it to the boy fast enough. As soon as he reached the small bed, he pulled the tiny child up and into his arms, holding onto him with such ferocity that it almost seemed as if he would never let go. When Lloyd in turn wrapped his arms around his father's neck, Kratos couldn't help but succumb to the tears that had threatened to fall again. He let out a brief sob, cradling his son tightly in his arms, never wanting to let him out of his sight again. His thoughts were, of course, irrational but expected.

"Found yer lad in the woods close by, cryin' his wee heart out. Ye be lucky for his cryin' and ye dogs whinin'. 'S what led me to 'em." Dirk said softly, watching with tender eyes the scene before him. There wasn't any lying here - Kratos really was his father - and he was just glad the boy had some family.

Kratos pulled himself onto the bed with his son, leaning against the headboard as he consoled the boy who had started crying as well. He could hear small mumblings coming from Lloyd about 'Monsters, bad men, Daddy, and... Mommy'. Kratos shook his head, just thankful that the boy had not seen his mother die. He didn't know how he was going to explain it to the young boy, but for now he focused more on the matter at hand.

"I... I can never thank you enough, Dirk. I have nothing to offer you - My son and I do not even have a place to call home. All I can offer you for now is my complete and utter gratitude." Kratos spoke quietly, burying his face into his son's hair at the end of his speech. He normally wasn't this talkative, but after everything that had happened, his mouth seem looser than normal.

"No need, Kratos. I don't expect anything from ye. 'M just glad to 'ave helped." Dirk nodded to Kratos, noticing the man beginning to doze off, his son already having fallen into dreamland minutes before. Raising an eyebrow, Dirk chuckled lightly to himself. "Why dun ye two stay here? 'Til ye get a home of yer own."

"No, we really couldn't-"

"Aye, ye can. This is me extra room. I got no use for it. Ye can stay 'ere 'til ye have a house of yer own. I won't take no for an answer." He said calmly, nodding as Kratos started shaking his head. "'Sides, ye can't very well bring the youngster out in the pourin' rain." Dirk knew that would get him.

Kratos thought momentarily to himself, trying to weigh the pro's and con's of staying there, even if it wasn't for very long. He knew very well that he had the gald - he could easily get a place at the inn if need be. But Dirk did have a point - he really didn't want to bring Lloyd back out into the rain. He himself was soaked to the bone, probably dripping all over the place. Dirk didn't seem to mind though, encouraging him to stay. Plus, there was also the fact that Kvar could have sent out others to look for him...

With a final sigh, Kratos nodded his head. "Again, I can never thank you more than I have now. I swear, I'll do something in return-"

"Don't worry so much about it, lad. I ain't doing to for profit. Now, get some sleep. From what ye told me, we are gonna have to be gettin' the lil' lad's mother tomorrow." He said quietly, nodding once more to Kratos as he headed towards the door, patting Noishe on the head as he headed out. "'Night, Kratos. Extra blankets are in the cupboard near the desk." He said finally before closing the door behind him.

Kratos blinked at the abrupt leaving of the dwarf before he shook his head, standing up off the bed quietly. Placing Lloyd down gently on the bed, if somewhat reluctantly, he started pulling at the many belts over his top, attempting to loosen the outfit enough so that he could get it off without chocking himself. Luckily, he managed to get enough belts loosened that he was able to pull off his top shirt. Doing the same to the pants left him in only his white, undershirt and boxers. Shivering slightly, he walked over the bed, picking up his son with one arm while stripping the bed of the first set of wet blankets with his free hand. Placing Lloyd back on the bed, Kratos headed over to the cupboard that Dirk had spoke of, finding inside a set of sheets as well as many blankets. Grabbing three of those blankets, he carried two of them over to the bed and placed them over his son. He then took the last blanket and placed it over the protozoan in the corner.

"Get some sleep, Noishe." He said quietly, scratching the dog behind his ears. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day." Noishe yipped in reply before curling into a ball, falling asleep in seconds.

With that said, Kratos went back over to the small bed. Getting under the covers much like his son, he drew the boy easily to himself, planting a small kiss atop the boys head. "I'm sorry, Lloyd... It looks as if it is just going to be the two of us from here on." He whispered to the boy, sighing as the child unconsciously snuggled closer to the warmth that was his father. Closing his crimson eyes, Kratos whispered a quiet goodnight to his son before drifting off to sleep, dreams littered with blood and monsters of the past.

* * *

Wow, my first TOS fanfic. 

I'm amazed at myself.

Anyways, the next chapter is going to be a time jump from where the game began with small details here and their of what happened after this. Hope everyone liked this chapter. I've had this idea stuck in my head since I first played the game three years ago. Yeah, it's been a long time, I know. But, anyways, the story will be updated as fast as I play the game since I have to replay it in order to get the basic gist of everything. I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as possible.

Thanks for reading!

Chibi-Sorrow

Music listened to:  
Hinata vs. Neji (Naruto)  
Senshitachino Kyuusoke (Zoids: Chaotic Century)


	2. 1: Fourteen Years Later

_**Day After Tomorrow**  
Chibi-Sorrow_

**Chapter One - Fourteen years later...**

* * *

_Many years had passed since the fateful night that Anna Aurion, the young mother of the child Lloyd and the wife of Kratos Aurion, had departed this world to join the world of the dead. Kratos had found his wife minutes before she died, her last request of him to find their only son - who had fallen off the cliff with her - and raise him without the surrounding influence of Cruxis. After a search in the sky, Kratos came across a small hut hidden in the dense out brush, meeting the rough, but pleasant Dirk, a dwarf. Questions upon questions later, Kratos learned the whereabouts of his child to be in the very house he stood in. After a tearful reunion between father and son, Kratos is asked to stay by Dirk until he finds a place of his own. Reluctant at first, Kratos refuses but is soon persuaded by the dwarf to stay until the rain has calmed. Within a week of ending up in the area, Kratos found a small house on the outskirts of Iselia._

_Lloyd grew up a normal child, often visiting Dirk in the woods and the children who lived in the village. In between doing these things he went to school with said kids and got the routine training with his father. Because of all his achievements, you would think that Lloyd would grow up to be an intelligent, handsome, friendly, and highly trained young man._

_Well, three out of four isn't so bad._

"Lloyd Aurion, wake up!"

A woman's voice rang through the thoughts of said boy, Lloyd Aurion. He knew he knew the voice from somewhere, but he couldn't quite place where he had heard it from. After all, his sleepy daze kept him from fully comprehending the things around him.

"Lloyd!" The teen desperately tried to ignore the brain rattling, screeching voice that echoed in his head. He didn't want to leave dreamland just yet. Maybe if he just tried to sleep again, the sound would go away.

Or, rather, he thought that for three point two seconds before an object of blunt force whacked him in the forehead.

"Gah!" He cried, dropping the buckets he had been holding and falling to the floor. "What the...?"

"Lloyd, please enlighten me on just how you manage to sleep standing up?" The woman finally revealed herself to be a moderately tall, light-weight female. She was also of elven decent; white hair framed a pale face, light blue eyes glaring at Lloyd with contempt. Lloyd blinked a few times for a moment, staring up at her before shaking his head and allowing a sheepish grin to cross his features.

"Uh... Is class over, Professor Raine?" He asked, trying to feign innocence as he stood up from where he had fallen, grabbing the buckets again. Raine scoffed with a small shake of her head before heading back to her desk.

"Never mind... Let's have someone actually paying attention answer the question." Sitting at her desk at the front of the class, she eyed each and every student before deciding that it would best - and less painful - just to choose someone who knew the answer: Her younger brother, Genis. "How about you, Genis?"

With a nod, Genis stood up from his seat with smile to his sister. It was obvious that he and his sister were related; both adorned the same eyes, hair, and skin color. Their overall features showed family relations and similarities. Just as his sister, he was also an elf. Genis was one of Lloyd's best and only friends. "Yes, Raine."

It wasn't too long after that that Lloyd began to space out again. He knew his Dad would hear about this later. He really didn't like to disappoint him, but he just couldn't get the hang of school. It was just so boring! How could someone sit her for hours and hours a time, just listening to someone ramble about the history of the world? He'd much rather be training - building his strengths, heightening his skills, those sorts of things - and not be constantly reprimanded by Raine for sleeping in class.

_Well, at least I won't be seeing Dad for a few days_, he thought while closing his eyes again. Kratos had gone off on a mission about two weeks before to Triet. He was to go and exterminate an overhaul of monsters that had been surrounding the city as of late. It was good money, but Kratos wasn't scheduled to be back for another few days.

His thoughts drifted from his father to one of his best friends, Colette Brunel. The chosen one. The one destined to save to the world from mana depletion and destruction. Her goal in life was to visit to the tower of Salvation as an angel in order to save Sylvarant. To Lloyd, she truly looked like she played the part of an angel well. Blonde hair surrounded her heart shaped face, bluer than blue eyes innocently watching the world around her. She, like Genis, was another close friend of Lloyd's.

"Look at that!" One of the younger girl's in the class exclaimed, pointing to the window.

"Huh?" Lloyd broke out of his thoughts again, now seeing the other younger children scrambling to see whatever was happening while the older teens just sat in their seats, eyes wide with surprise. He watched as Colette stood up from her seat, clasping her hands together in front of her breasts as she watched with awe at what was outside the window. Lloyd turned himself to see just what was happening, his mouth dropping. "Wh-What is that?!"

"That's..." Colette started before being interrupted by Raine.

"Now, now. Settle down, Children. It seems that the time for the oracle has come." She said calmly, standing up from her chair. "I will go and check on the chapel. Everyone, stay here and study on your own?" She stopped, looking at Lloyd to eye him individually. "Understood?"

Colette began walking towards Raine. "Professor, should I go, too?"

"No, Colette." Raine said gently, shaking her head as she headed for the door. "If it really is the oracle, the pastors will come for you. Wait here, please." With that said, she left the school. Colette frowned quietly as she watched the professor leave, sighing to herself quietly.

Lloyd blinked, looking back and forth between Colette and the window before shrugging to himself idly, dropping the buckets and heading towards the door. He was almost out the door when he was pulled back from behind. He let out a yelp, stumbling on his feet for a moment before gaining his balance. He turned to look at whatever was holding him back only to discover Genis with a tight hold on the white strips of fabric that hung from his red shirt. "Oh. Hey, Genis."

"What do you think you are doing? Raine told us to stay here!" Genis cried out, frowning at Lloyd. He didn't want Lloyd to get caught sneaking out because he knew that if Lloyd left, he'd follow, therefore getting in trouble himself.

"It's..." Lloyd paused for a moment, looking up to the ceiling as if in deep thought before turning back to Genis with a grin across his face. "It's research!"

"That is just an excuse!"

"So? Don't be so stuffy! You know you want to find out about it, too." Lloyd still grinned, pulling his clothing from Genis's hand before leaving the class room, looking back on Genis and Colette. "You're coming with me, right? We are best friends after all, Genis. Colette, you should come with us!"

Colette blinked, tilting her head to the side in question for a moment before smiling brightly, nodding her head. "Okay!"

Lloyd gave her his own cheerful grin, nodding in response before grabbing her hand and dragging her with him. "Well, come on! Let's go. Hurry up, Genis - before you are left behind!" With that said, the two ran out of the classroom.

Genis blinked repeatedly, staring at the spot his two friends had been at before shaking his head with a a heaving sigh, shoulders sagging. "I can't believe I'm doing this... Wait for me!"

* * *

Narrow crimson eyes watched as a bright light shot out in the distance, reaching to the sky above. That light meant that the oracle was taking place - that it as time to begin the journey of restoration. Quickly sheathing his sworn, the owner of said eyes - none other than Kratos Aurion - drew his wings out. Flapping them to get them accustomed to use once more, Kratos pulled his gloves tighter to his hands before taking to the air. He had a destination in mind.

"It's time..."

It was time for his new job to begin. He began his flight in haste, knowing he had little time to reach the temple before something was bound to happen. Plus, if he knew his son as well as he had believed, the boy would already be at the chapel against orders.

* * *

Lloyd sneezed loudly, wiping his nose with his sleeve.

"Are you alright, Lloyd?" Colette questioned, looking at him with worry. "You aren't catching a cold or anything, right?"

"Someone's talking about you, Lloyd." Genis taunted, giving his best friend a grin.

Lloyd gave the elven boy a dead-panned look before turning back to the chosen. "No, I feel fine. Don't worry so much, Colette."

"I'm sorry..."

Lloyd snorted, shaking his head. "You have nothing to apologize for, dummy. Now, let's go!"

After meeting up with Colette's father, Frank, the group had begun their walk to the temple. Meeting up with a quite a few surprises on the way - all of which were monsters - the three were in quite a rush to get there in one piece. None of them had been quite ready to face them - sure, they had their weapons on them but it didn't help if none of them were expecting the onslaught of demons to attack.

Not long after they finally reached the temple, one of the pastors limped his way down the stairs, falling to the ground in front of the teens and dying minutes later. He let them know his regrets of not seeing the chosen and her journey through, and he hoped that she would bring restoration to the world. Genis and Colette briefly mourned the loss of him while Lloyd went charging up the stairs to find out just what was happening. The other two quickly followed.

"Phaidra!" Lloyd shouted, seeing none other than Colette's grandmother being cornered by a group of what was believed to be Desians.

"Grandmother!" Colette ran up the stairs right behind Lloyd, noticing the men mere seconds after seeing her grandmother. "Who are they?"

Phaidra turned to the children, shaking her head to them. "Run, Colette!" But it was too late. The Desians had already noticed the chosen one,

"Lord Botta! There she is!"

The man that stood between the two soldiers looked up at Colette, a malicious glint appearing in his eye. "Chosen, your life is mine!" With that said, the two soldiers that stood by Botta charged the three.

The battle wasn't relatively hard to Lloyd, though he noticed the other two struggling behind him. In all honesty, he himself was having trouble keeping up with the two soldiers. At least Phaidra had been smart enough to run into the temple to hide before this got too messy. He winced, grunting as he felt the Desian he was fighting with slash him directly in the side, taking notice of his time of distraction. Finding the mana in him, he used his trademark skill Demon Fang and took him down, turning to see how the other two were doing just as they finished him off. He sighed out deeply before falling to the ground, landing hard on his rear.

"This is why I need to train more than go to school..."

"Lloyd! Are you alright?" Colette ran to his side. She kneeled next to his fallen form, looking at his injury with wide, apprehensive eyes. She had seen him just as he got attacked and had desperately wanted to go to him, but couldn't with the other Desian blocking her path.

He gave her a cocky smirk, scratching the back of his head. "I'm fine. It's just a scratch!"

Luck really didn't seem to be with Lloyd today, for as soon as those words left his mouth, the ground beneath him shook. The three teens looked around, unsure of what was happening until a large, overgrown man appeared, carrying a spiked ball that hung from a chain.

"Do not get in our way!" He yelled, aiming his weapon for the smallest of the group - Genis. Right as the weapon was about to make contact, Lloyd jumped in front of him, holding up his two swords as a sort of blockade. It worked well enough for a minute before it sent Lloyd flying backwards, landing on the stone ground hard. He laid there for a second, not wanting the move when he felt a sharp, splitting pain go up his side. It wasn't until he heard the screams from his friends that he shot up from his position on the ground, charging to aide his friends.

"Colette, get out of the way!" He yelled, just in time for her to pull one of her many klutz attacks, falling to the ground as Lloyd jumped over her, landing on his feet in front of her and swinging his blades at the ogre-like-man. Unfortunately for him, the ogre had heard his attempt to jump him and swung at Lloyd with his spiked-ball just as the boy got within range. Lloyd's eyes widened as he noticed his mistake before he closed time tightly, hoping it wouldn't kill him.

Just as he expected, a hard force of impact tackled him to the side. But strangely enough, this wasn't the attack of the weapon. It felt more like...

"Lloyden, what have I told you before about not listening?"

Lloyd's eyes shot open at hearing that oddly familiar deep voice only to come face to face with the crimson eyes of his father. "D-Dad!" He looked around in shock for a moment, trying to get his mind to register just what had happened. Realizing that the force that pushed him to the ground was his dad, Lloyd came to the quick understanding that his father had saved him. Lloyd watched as his father stood up, reaching down to grab his son by his arm and dragging him to his feet. "Thanks, Dad..."

"Hmph... Seems we need to strengthen your training..." The purple-clad man muttered as he noticed the wounds Lloyd had acquired, reaching up to ruffle his son's spiky hair briefly. He looked over, seeing the large man about to attack Genis before he drew his sword, ready to attack. "Stay here, Lloyd." He said simply with a hint of finality in his voice. He quickly got closer to the children's attacker, bringing his sword down in a slicing motion as he called out the attack of Demon Fang, one more powerful than his son's. The Desian quickly fell, no longer able to harm the group.

Kratos shook his head before sheathing his sword, looking over to Colette and Genis. "Are you two alright?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow as Genis fell to the ground, panting.

"Oh, yeah... Just great..." He muttered, leaning his head back against the stoned ground. Colette simply gave Kratos a smile, nodding her head from where she was sitting. She had yet to get up from where she had tripped.

Turning to Lloyd, Kratos resisted the urge to roll his eyes as his son poked his side with a pout, doing so repeatedly with the result of wincing. He then sighed, walking over to the boy and pulling his hand away from the injury. "Jabbing at it isn't going to help it, nor make it feel any better."

"I know that! I was just... trying to see how bad it was." Lloyd stated defensively, giving his father the pouting look now.

"Of course. Now, hold still." Kratos mumbled the first part sarcastically before he laid his hands over the wound, ignoring the wince from his son as he mumbled 'First Aid' beneath his breath. Many different shades of green light surrounded the injury, stitching over the skin and healing the wound. When Kratos pulled his hand back, he had to resist smirking at the job well done.

Lloyd in turn began to poke his side again before looking up to grin at the older man. "Thanks, Dad! Good as new."

"Indeed..." Kratos rumbled, shaking his head at his only son. "Now, may I question as to just what the three of you are doing here?" He wasn't really angry at Lloyd. He was more or less just curious as to why the boy never listened to a damn thing he said.

Lloyd started chuckling nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Well, you see, it's a funny story-"

"I asked them to come with me, Kratos!" Colette butt in, moving towards the father and son duo. She clasped her hands in front of her as she always did out of nervous habit, looking up towards Kratos with a bit of a pleading face. "I thought it would be best if I came here and, well..."

Kratos shook his head, trying not to look amused at the nervous girl before him. "Nevertheless, Chosen, you should have waited for Raine or another adult to accompany you." He said passively. He didn't want it known that he felt concern for these kids.

"I'm sorry..."

"Dad, it wasn't Colette. I'm the one who left the classroom when I should have stayed like Professor had asked me. I'm sorry, but I wanted to find out what was happening-"

"Yeah! And we are worried about Raine." Genis cut in, finally moving from the ground to join the other three.

Kratos looked between the three teenagers before finally resting his eyes on his son. A staring contest seemed to go on between the two of them before Kratos shook his head, putting his hand to his forehead with a chuckle. "I'm honestly not surprised. I wouldn't expect anything less from you three." He spoke quietly, his voice laced with amusement.

Lloyd grinned brightly at his father now, sticking his tongue out 'maturely'. "What else would you expect? I'm your kid!"

"Indeed..." Kratos mumbled before he pulled his hand away, a serious expression covering his face. "But all joking aside, you two need to head back to the town. I will take Colette into the temple. You two will just get in the way."

"No way-"

"No buts, Lloyd." Kratos cut his Lloyd off, giving him a look at said it was final.

"Dad-" Lloyd tried before getting cut off once more, this time by Colette.

"Kratos, wait! Can... can they please go with us?" She asked hopefully, giving him a begging look also known as her 'puppy eyes'.

Kratos tried to look away, mentally groaning and berating himself for looking at her for even a moment. "This isn't a field trip, Colette."

"I know, but..." She trailed off for a moment, before getting her words straight. "I get nervous when Lloyd isn't around."

Kratos raised an eyebrow, looking at the girl with a bit of a questioning look before he sighed, shaking his head in defeat as he headed into the temple. "Do as you wish." He smirked, though, as he heard the cheerful cries of the three behind him

_I swear, one of these days that look is going to be the death of me_, he thought to himself, referring to the look her received from Colette before yelling behind to the teens. "You better hurry up if you don't want to be left behind."

And with that said, three sets of feet came running up behind the mercenary in hopes of finding something interesting in the temple.

* * *

I must say that I've never been done this many chapters of a story so quick in my life. I just have the utter urge to keep writing. Plus, all your wonderful reviews are helping! I did some of the original script from the game here in my fic, but I also added variety of my own - different words, events changed, etc. After all, it's my story! Yay

Oh, and on another note, I read in a few previous fanfics that Kratos would call Lloyd 'Lloyden' and I really rather liked that. I give full credit to whoever started using that, though, since it was not me!

I'm glad to know I kept Kratos in character for the most part. Just on a note, he was supposed to seem a bit emotional at times. I mean, what do you expect - he just lost his wife and he thought at first that he had lost his son! He's not going to be the cold, emo monkey that he normally acts like! Plus, I think he was only so like that in the game because he lost his family. Therefore, he's generally going to be the same in this story with just a little, teeny weenie bit more warmth to him.

Hope everyone can handle that.

Thanks for reading again!

Chibi

Music:

My older brother playing Tony Hawk


	3. Sayonara, Day After Tomorrow

Hey everyone,

Hate to say it, but I'm going to take this story down in a week (figure that will give everyone enough notice). As much as I hate not finishing a story, I hate keeping up a story on permo-hiatus when I don't know how to go about with more possible chapters. While it's true that I have other stories that have been on hold for years, I know the plots for those ones and how I am going to go about writing them. I just never got the chance to.

I had the entire story planned out in my head – and believe me, it was different than the original game completely (only with some similar conversations/events) – but then characterization issues got in the way and my muse dropped the big bomb on itself and committed writing suicide. My other muse, the back up, tried to take over, but she ultimately fucked herself over in the sense that she didn't know anything of what she was doing. College work, as well as other life things, got in the way of me completing this story as well. I started this story just after one of my brother's died in hopes of getting myself back into my writing funk, but... I guess it wasn't meant to be.

I don't know if this story will be back or not. If so, it will be posted on my other name, as I am no longer really using this name for my stories. The story will be under the same title, but hopefully revised.

Sorry to disappoint anyone who was hoping for an update (though it's been almost a year, so I can't say that anyone is waiting for it).

I'm so sorry, everyone!

Chibi-Sorrow


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